Bible Verses About Egypt

Now Ya'akov saw that there was grain in Egypt; so Ya'akov said to his sons, "Why are you staring at each other?

Look," he said, "I've heard that there's grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us from there, so that we can stay alive and not die!"

Thus Yosef's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt,

except for Binyamin, Yosef's brother. Ya'akov did not send him with his brothers, because he was afraid something might happen to him.

The sons of Isra'el came to buy along with the others that came, since the famine extended to the land of Kena'an.

Yosef was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. Now when Yosef's brothers came and prostrated themselves before him on the ground,

They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians included at the meal by themselves - Egyptians don't eat with Hebrews, because that is abhorrent to them.

So they sat there facing him, the firstborn in the place of honor, the youngest in last place; and the men expressed their amazement to each other.

Each was given his serving there in front of him, but Binyamin's portion was five times as large as any of theirs. So they drank and enjoyed themselves with him.

At last Yosef could no longer control his feelings in front of his attendants and cried, "Get everybody away from me!" So no one else was with him when Yosef revealed to his brothers who he was.

He wept aloud, and the Egyptians heard, and Pharaoh's household heard.

Yosef said to his brothers, "I am Yosef! Is it true that my father is still alive?" His brothers couldn't answer him, they were so dumbfounded at seeing him.

Yosef said to his brothers, "Please! Come closer." And they came closer. He said, "I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

But don't be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to preserve life.

The famine has been over the land for the last two years, and for yet another five years there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have descendants on earth and to save your lives in a great deliverance.

So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.

Hurry, go up to my father, and tell him, 'Here is what your son Yosef says: "God has made me lord of all Egypt! Come down to me, don't delay!

You will live in the land of Goshen and be near me - you, your children, your grandchildren, flocks, herds, everything you own.

I will provide for you there, so that you won't become poverty-stricken, you, your household and all that you have; because five years of famine are yet to come."'

The report of this reached Pharaoh's house: "Yosef's brothers have come"; and Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.

Pharaoh said to Yosef, "Tell your brothers, 'Here is what you are to do. Load up your animals, go to the land of Kena'an,

take your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you good property in Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.

"'Moreover - and this is an order - do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little ones and your wives, and bring your father, and come.

Don't worry about your stuff, because everything good in the land of Egypt is yours.'"